TENNESSEE. 



765 



many others whose names \vere not sub- 

 scribed:" 



To Andrew Johnson, Governor, &c., of (he Slate of 

 Tennessee : 



We the undersigned citizens of Columbia, Tenn., 

 having gone into service, under the last call of Gov. 

 Harris, the circumstances of which call, and our en- 

 listment, you have by this time become fully aware of, 

 are very desirous of returning to loyalty by taking the 

 oath of allegiance to the Federal Government, and will 

 ever feel grateful to you for our deliverance from our 

 present confinement. 



Several other letters of like import, from Ten- 

 nesseeans who had served in the Southern 

 army, were published about the same time. 



Trade, for some time after the occupation of 

 Nashville, gave no sign of reviving. Northern 

 merchants had followed the national armies 

 into Tennessee, in the expectation of buying 

 cotton, and obtaining markets for their own 

 commodities ; but there was little or no cotton at 

 Nashville and other river ports, and the plant- 

 ers of the interior showed no disposition to send 

 it forward. Northern products of nearly all 

 sorts were in great demand, and quoted at 

 high prices ; but the people had no money ex- 

 cept the currency of the Southern Confeder- 

 acy, which the Northern speculators, of course, 

 refused to take. In a few weeks' time, how- 

 ever, U. S. money became comparatively plen- 

 tiful throughout Middle Tennessee ; confidence 

 in the depreciated bills of Tennessee banks 

 was restored; and cotton gradually found its 

 way to the ports of outlet. 



Buyers began to scour the country in all di- 

 rections, within, and sometimes even beyond 

 the Federal lines. The reluctance of the cot- 

 ton planters to sell was soon entirely over- 

 come. Good middling brought in April, 16 

 and 17 cents in specie, or U. S. Treasury notes, 

 and 22 and 25 cents in current Tennessee 

 paper. The following extract from the " Nash- 

 ville Union " of May 10, shows the state of the 

 Tennessee cotton traffic at that date : 



Upon enquiry we have ascertained that down to the 

 1st of this month permits were granted for the ship- 

 ment from Nashville of 2,918 bales of cotton. The re- 

 quirement of permits for the shipment of goods from 

 this to the loyal States having been abrogated, it is 

 not easy to ascertain the precise number of bales of 

 cotton that have been shipped since the 30th ult. 

 Upon enquiry we have ascertained that since that date 

 there have been shipped 634 bales. To this amount 

 may be added from 50 to 100 bales shipped by out- 

 siders, who are unknown to us. The whole amount 

 shipped since the llth of March, when trade was open- 

 ed, may be set down as not less, and probably some- 

 thing over, 3,600 bales. The price it now commands 

 readily is 20 cents in gold or U. S. Treasury notes at 

 times lots are sold at 21 cents, and at others at 19 

 cents. The entire amount which it may be expected 

 will be shipped from this place during" the season is 

 estimated to be about 18,000 bales. From two to three 

 thousand bales have been burned by the Confederate 

 troops chiefly in Giles county. The cotton already 

 sold at this point has brought into the country $360,- 

 000 of good currency, either in specie or U. S. Treasury 

 notes. If no obstacle shall be placed in the way of 

 trade by the further operations of rebel marauding 

 parties composed of worthless and irresponsible vaga- 

 bonds, the cotton already shipped and to be shipped 

 at this point will bring $1,800,000. That burned by 



the rebels is estimated at $800,000, the average value of 

 the bales being $100 each. 



Eice was also shipped to some extent, and 

 the quantity of both these staples sent into the 

 loyal States would have been much jrr 

 but for guerilla bands, who made it their ob- 

 ject to prevent the crops from being sold. A 

 proclamation was issued by the governor, 

 threatening to imprison five or more seces- 

 sionists of the neighborhood where such things 

 occurred. 



On May 12, in pursuance of a call signed by 

 a number of prominent citizens, requesting 

 " their fellow citizens of the State of Tennes- 

 see, who are in favor of the restoration of the 

 former relations of this State to the Federal 

 Union, to be present at a public meeting to be 

 held at the capitol, in the city of Nashville," 

 a large gathering of persons from different parts 

 of the State took place in the Hall of Repre- 

 sentatives. Ex-Gov. "Win. B. Campbell (now 

 brigadier-general) was chosen president of the 

 convention, and on taking the chair made a 

 few remarks, in the course of which he said : 



We invite all to help us in restoring the supremacy 

 of law over Tennessee, and reinstating her in all the 

 privileges and immunities of the Union. We wish to 

 welcome back all our deluded fellow citizens cordially. 

 The Government intends no sweeping confiscation, 

 nor wild turning loose of slaves, against the revolted 

 States. It designs no infringement on the rights of 

 property. All will be protected who will be loyal to 

 the Government. We bear no malice toward any one, 

 but deep sympathy for the deluded. He had dear 

 friends and dear relations who had gone astray, and 

 his heart yearned for their return. The Federal Gov- 

 ernment will pursue a kind, liberal, and benevolent 

 policy toward the people of the South, to bring them 

 to the Union. 



Addresses were made by "VT. H. Wiseman, 

 Hon. W. B. Stokes, Edmund Cooper, Col. W. H. 

 Polk, Gov. Johnson, Col. L. D. Campbell, Gen. 

 Dumont, and others. 



At the request of many persons present at 

 this convention, the chairman appointed Allen 

 A. Hall, John Lellyett, Russell Houston, Horace 

 H. Harrison, and M. M. Brien, a " State Cen- 

 tral Union Committee," for the purpose of 

 communicating with the friends of Union in 

 various parts of the State. 



The United States circuit court opened at 

 Nashville on the 13th, and in his charge to the 

 Grand Jury, Judge Catron instructed them to 

 ferret out and indict all persons guilty of aiding 

 and abetting the marauding parties who infest- 

 ed the State. 



On the 14th ex-Gov. Neil S. Brown, one of 

 the leaders of the secession party in Tennessee, 

 was arrested, by order of Gov. Johnson, on 

 charge of treason, but was afterward released 

 on parole. He took the oath of allegiance, and 

 became a prominent advocate of the Ujiion. 



The following notice was issued at Nashville 

 on May 18 : 



After this date no shipment of merchandise from ' 

 this city or State will be allowed, except upon 

 permits "therefor issued by the proper constituted offi- 

 cers of the Government of the United States. 



